Living, loving and laughing my way towards a balanced paleo life.

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Monthly Archives: April 2014

What’s creamy and flavorful and makes everything taste better? Ranch dressing of course! Unfortunately, that stuff that comes in the bottle at the grocery store has far too many strange ingredients for me. And salad dressings are so easy to make at home that it really is worth giving it a try.

Since discovering how simple it is to make my own Paleo mayonnaise, I happily turn that mayo into creamy dressings any night of the week. This ranch dressing has a nice hit of dill because I like it, but you should feel free to adjust the herbs to your own taste buds. I usually make enough dressing for one or two days worth of salad. It’s quick to make and then I don’t get tired of the same dressing either. If you’re looking for something to dip your veggies into, look no further! Unless, of course, you’re in the mood for Paleo Hummus…

Wake up. Throw this together in 10 minutes. Come home later to an amazing dinner. If you don’t have a slow cooker, I highly recommend getting one. There is something magical about putting a bunch of ingredients into a pot in the morning and then coming home later that day to a marriage of rich flavors and crazy-tender meat. Pork shoulder is ideal for this kind of low, moist heat – it gets truly transformed.

Once you have a pot of shredded pork, there are all kinds of things you can do with it. In my house, it’s hard to even get it to the dinner table because everyone walks by and has to steal a bite. We liked this version just piled on our plate with the juices over the top, but you can wrap it up in a lettuce leaf or add it to your eggs in the morning. Whatever you want to do, pork probably makes it better.

Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder with Sage

about 2 lbs. of pork shoulder, trimmed of most of the visible fat

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 a large onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic

1 large stalk of fresh sage, about 8-10 leaves

1/2 c. coconut milk

Directions

1) In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Rub this mix all over the pork shoulder, getting into the nooks and crannies, and set aside.

2) Put the chopped onion in the bottom of the cooker. Pour in the coconut milk, add the whole garlic cloves and fresh sage. Place the pork on top of the mixture and put the lid on. Cook on low heat for about 8 hours, until the meat is fall apart tender.

3) Remove the meat to a bowl and remove any excess fat from the meat that you don’t want. Strain the liquid at the bottom of the cooker into a fat separator or any container to put in the fridge. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or more and then remove the layer of fat that solidifies at the top.

4) When you are ready to eat, reheat the meat and juices together and pile on your plate.

Sometimes you need to grab an opportunity when you see it. This bundle is that moment! Check it out – it’s pretty darn remarkable!

I created Balancing Paleo so that I could share my journey and my recipes with all of you and sometimes I discover things that I think can really make a difference. This bundle is remarkable for the quality of its content AND for its price. And it’s only available like this for a very short time, which is why I want to bring it to your attention. There are things in this bundle that I am excited about, that are making a difference in my life, and maybe they’ll make a difference in yours. Things like…

Recipes? – Check!

Guidance? – Check!

Meal plans? – Check!

Fitness programs? – Check!

Motivation? – Check!

I have actually spent the last several nights reading the success stories in here and I have been inspired. I’m so inspired, in fact, that I hope to share a few more details of my own journey with you in the future – just in case it resonates with one of you and helps you get over the hump. The people in these stories share their growth and as I read them, I realize that they are ordinary people just like me making choices every single day. It’s exciting to see where they’ve been and where they’re going and I’m grateful to have them included here.

And then there are all of the other books and offers – it honestly seems too good to be true. But I’m telling you, it isn’t. So go grab it – You won’t regret it!

You know how I’ve been telling you about this amazing bundle of Primal and Paleo cookbooks, success stories, research papers, how-tos, discounts and more? If you don’t know about this incredible sale, the details are here.

Well…one of the cookbooks in the Primal Life Kit is the Chowstalker Community Cookbook. You’ll find my recipe (!) for Spring Risotto with Ham and Asparagus, of course, as well as over 130 Paleo/Primal recipes by other bloggers. It’s pretty awesome and there are so many that I want to try! One in particular kept drawing me back. It was a recipe for a Deep Dish Tamale by Emily Coatney, at Coconut Contentment.

I have actually been craving tamales lately. I grew up in California and live in Colorado so tamales are a part of my culture. But they’re time consuming to make and they’re made with corn so they’ve fallen to the side. Then I saw this open-faced tamale that you whip together and toss in the oven and suddenly I knew what I would be making and sharing with all of you.

The crust of this is nothing short of amazing. The combination of white sweet potato and coconut flour does an impressive job of standing in for masa. It’s tender and fluffy and slightly sweet and the chicken topping is nicely spiced. We ate it with guacamole and salsa and it was terrific! I have to admit, though, my mind starting going wild with all of the possible toppings for this crust. Just like a traditional tamale, you could do beef, pork, even a sweet variation. There’s a lot of fun to be had!

So go ahead and make this recipe and then go get your bundle while it’s still on sale. Who knows which recipes or articles or books will be the ones to change your life?

Disclaimer:In the spirit of full disclosure, this is an affiliate link, which means that I may get a commission if you decide to purchase the Primal Life Kit. It’s an incredible bundle from some spectacular people, so I know you’ll be in good hands.

2 Tbsp. chicken broth (sub water but broth provides the most authentic flavor)

2 Tbsp. palm shortening (sub any healthy cooking fat)

1 tsp. vinegar (white or apple cider)

5 Tbsp. coconut flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Toppings

Guacamole

Salsa

Avocado Slices

Cilantro

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-10 in. oven-safe skillet or pie dish, place the Tbsp. of palm shortening (or other chosen fat). Put in the oven to heat the skillet to temperature.

2) Combine all of the filling ingredients in a medium sized bowl – toss well to ensure even coverage.

3) Combine all of the dough ingredients together in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, Kitchen Aid mixer, or by rolling up your sleeves and giving it a good stir until well-combined.

4) Once your oven has preheated carefully remove your skillet or dish. Evenly distribute the melted cooking fat in the bottom of the pan. Pour your dough into the skillet, spread out evenly with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Layer your filling on top, lightly pressing it into your dough.

5) Carefully place in oven to cook for 35-40 minutes, until the edges are nicely browned and the chicken has begun to brown. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve alongside your favorite toppings.

A few of you out there might have some hard boiled eggs laying around right now. If you’ve been Paleo for a while, you might even have a constant supply of hard boiled eggs around. Here’s a little something to do with them that is fun, delicious, and super quick. These make an excellent appetizer, lunch, or snack. You can even be fancy and pipe your filling into the eggs, but I used a spoon because it was lunch time and I was hungry! Add more or less buffalo sauce to make these to your spice level and also be sure to use a hot sauce that doesn’t have a bunch of junk in it. I use Frank’s Original because it has peppers, vinegar, water, salt, garlic powder and nothing else. I used 3 eggs here, but this recipe is great for doubling or tripling. Make however many you want because they’re sure to get eaten!

Buffalo Deviled Eggs

3 hard boiled eggs

1 Tbsp. Paleo mayonnaise

1 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (I used Frank’s Original Buffalo Sauce)

celery, diced to garnish

freshly cracked pepper

Directions

1) Peel and cut hard boiled eggs in half. Pop the yolks out and place in a small bowl. Set whites aside.

2) Add mayonnaise and hot sauce to the yolks and stir to combine thoroughly. Taste and add more hot sauce to taste.

3) Spoon or pipe filling evenly into each egg half. Plate and sprinkle with celery dice and black pepper.

Serves 1-2

If you haven’t yet explored the Primal Life Kit that is on sale this week, take a moment to check out the amazing bundle of products that’s been put together. It has so much stuff that can help you start on your Paleo journey or help you through a rough patch. It’s really awesome!

Disclaimer:In the spirit of full disclosure, this is an affiliate link, which means that I may get a commission if you decide to purchase the Primal Life Kit. It’s an incredible bundle from some spectacular people, so I know you’ll be in good hands.

Primal Life Kit: 49 Paleo and Primal Products and 14 Discounts for $39

In the spirit of full disclosure, this is an affiliate link, which means that I may get a commission if you decide to purchase the Primal Life Kit. It’s an incredible bundle from some spectacular people, so I know you’ll be in good hands.

What’s The Primal Life Kit?

The people at PaleoPlan.com have put together a really exciting opportunity for you! When you purchase the $39 Primal Life Kit, you get over $1500 worth of the most popular and life-changing Primal and Paleo products:

35 Paleo and Primal eCookbooks and Informational eBooks ($498 Value)

3 research papers by Dr. Loren Cordain ($15 Value)

1 Online Cooking Club subscription ($39 Value)

3 Fitness Programs ($67 Value)

2 Paleo Challenges ($44 Value)

2 Meal Plans ($69 Value)

2 Online Magazine Subscriptions ($36 Value)

1 Bonus Video about Eating Paleo on the Road

14 Discounts ($757+ Value)

TOTAL VALUE $1500+ for just $39!

These educational and potentially life-changing Primal and Paleo products are being sold for just $39 – more than 97% off their original retail value – this week only (April 21st through April 28th).

All the ebooks are in pdf format, so you can read them on your computer or the e-reader of your choice. This $39 kit will give you all the tools you need to eat, cook, work out, and live Primally.

3 Fitness Programs ($67 Value)

Everyday Paleo Lifestyle and Fitness Program 1 Month for $.01 by Sarah Fragoso and Jason Seib at EPLifeFit.com ($9.98 value) – Use the provided coupon code to redeem your first month for just 1 cent. Automatically billed at the full retail price in subsequent months. Cancel at any time.

2 Paleo Challenges ($44 Value)

1 Free Month of Paleo BootcampbyPaleoaholic ($7 Value) – With over 300+ Paleo recipes, Paleo meal plans, and shopping lists, the end result is a weight loss plan and shopping guide system that’s now helped over 10,000 people drop the pounds and keep them off.

2 Meal Plans ($69 Value)

Primal Blueprint Meal Plan 1 Month for $.01by Mark Sisson of PrimalBlueprint.com ($9.98 value) – Use the provided coupon code to redeem your first month for just 1 cent. Automatically billed at the full retail price in subsequent months. Cancel at any time.

1 Bonus Video

Sneak Peek at Fat Loss Masterclass Video Home Study Coursefrom Jonathan Bailor and Abel James (Free Sneak Peek Bonus) – Abel (FatBurningMan.com) and Jonathan (author of The Calorie Myth at thebailorgroup.com) dive into the do’s and don’ts of foraging your best options for eating on the go.

That’s normally the price of just one or two of these products! After you purchase the kit, you’ll be sent an email with a link to all of the downloadable products, as well as the coupon codes for all of the discounted products.

NOTE: You will not be shipped any physical goods with your purchase of the Primal Life Kit. These products are downloadable ebooks, online magazine subscriptions, and discount codes. There will be a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee if you are not satisfied with your purchase. Please contact neely@paleoplan.com with any questions about the Primal Life Kit.

I can’t even begin to express how excited I am about what’s happening in the late hours of Sunday night. There is an amazing bundle of Paleo and Primal products that has been put together which will be on sale (like crazy sale) for 1 WEEK ONLY! In this bundle you’ll find the Chowstalker Community Cookbook which has a recipe by ME (among other talented food bloggers, including several really well-known ones)!! I really, really want you to check out the whole bundle, but you’ll have to wait until Sunday night/Monday morning. I promise it’ll be worth it!

For the past several years, a few of my friends have repeatedly said that I should do something with my passion for cooking, that I should start a blog, that I should write a cookbook. Last fall, I decided to give it a go and you have all been so amazingly supportive that I am certain this is a path for me to follow. Recently I was asked by the wonderful people behind the Chowstalker website if I would contribute a recipe to the e-cookbook they were putting together. Needless to say, I was thrilled! It turns out that this cookbook is now being offered as part of the Primal Life Kit Bundle that brings together some of the keenest minds and leaders in the Paleo/Primal community, not to mention some of the most celebrated cookbook authors and bloggers. And the whole bundle can be had for a steal!

In this bundle, you will find many, many fantastic cookbooks as well as Paleo Magazine for 6 months, a 21-day Paleo Cleanse from Paleo Plan (which I’m dying to try), a ton of discount coupons, and more! This is seriously something that you don’t want to miss. Okay – just one more thing…Well Fed 2 by my idol, Melissa Joulwan, is in the bundle. Do I really need to say more?

So the Bundle Sale will be launching this Sunday night but, don’t worry, I’ll remind you again. I might even share a little something from inside the bundle.

Want to see a picture of my recipe?

Spring Risotto with Ham and Asparagus. It’s on page 57.

Thank you all so much for supporting the efforts of one mom to live healthier, cook with passion, and share with you.

Welcome! My name is Michelle and I'm a mom, foodie, and fitness loving woman living in Colorado and looking to find balance in all things health and wellness. I believe balance is fluid like the branches of trees on a windy day. That's life and I love it!